by Jada Turner
“The Privy Chamber? What on earth for?” Beth’s mind was racing as she tried to make sense of this unexpected request.
“I must admit I cannot begin to imagine what for. But nobody disobeys the Cardinal so I’m afraid you must go,” Emma replied.
Beth’s heart seemed to stop beating. “The Cardinal? Wolsey? What have I done? Oh my God. Do you think that they somehow found out about last night?” Beth’s words were pouring from her mouth in her panic. Last night was certainly enjoyable, and Beth was glad to have had her eyes opened to such pleasure, but she could now clearly see it as it would have looked from the outside: two kitchen maids, writhing between the sheets like harlots.
Emma laughed, “Our antics would certainly be no concern of Wolsey’s. He is a man of the cloth, the idea of two kitchen maids practicing how to give pleasure would not even occur to him,” she said as she laid a reassuring hand on Beth’s shoulder. “I can think of no reason why you should be in trouble, you have only just arrived at court for goodness sake. Perhaps he simply wants to welcome you to the Tudor Household,” Emma continued, but secretly she knew that a mere kitchen maid would not be offered an official welcome, especially not by one of the most powerful men in England.
For the rest of the day, Beth struggled to focus on her work. She splashed some boiling water on her hand, which had caused a red and blistering burn. Beth’s first week at court had been going so well, she was settling into her new life, had made a friend, and felt excited by the news that Queen was with child. Now she could feel everything falling apart around her. She had briefly glimpsed Wolsey at the feast the previous night, his fat hands heavy with rings as he clapped the King on the back in congratulations. Of course, as a kitchen maid, she hadn’t exchanged a single word with Wolsey, so she couldn’t understand how she could possibly have displeased him. She found herself praying that despite their caution the previous night nobody had seen or heard Emma and Beth’s perhaps careless act. She had enjoyed it, and she was glad to know of the pleasures that awaited her once she found a husband, but she certainly would hate for it to be the cause of her dismissal from court. She wouldn’t be able to return to her previous job with the nuns after such a scandal, and would be out on the street with no income, no home, and no future.
Emma could see the anxiety written across Beth’s face, and wished she could do something to help. It didn’t help that she herself could see no good coming of this assignation with Wolsey. She could see how Beth’s beauty, innocence and poise would attract a man, but she couldn’t image that Wolsey would want to embark on a love affair with a girl from court, that would be too reckless even for him. It was common knowledge that Wolsey had a long-term mistress, but she was kept far away from court. Emma suggested that Beth take a breath of fresh air outside, and offered to take over her work for a while. Beth attempted a grateful smile, but the anxiety on her face made the expression look more pained than anything else.
The fresh air outside did make Beth feel a little better. The stuffiness of the kitchen was not helping matters when she was already feeling clammy and nervous. She perched on an upturned bucket around the corner from the entrance to the kitchen so as to have a brief reprieve from the curious stares of those in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath and trying to push her untameable hair away from her face, Beth tried to focus on a little bird pecking at the ground in an attempt to distract herself from her racing mind.
“It is a jay.” The voice startled Beth as she had thought she was alone, and she turned around to see who was there, already wishing she could just be left in peace. However, when she saw the dark hair and handsome features of the messenger boy from the day before, she felt an unexpected jolt of excitement.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, I am sorry. I was hoping to see you today, to apologize for my extremely uncivilized behavior yesterday. It is not normally my habit to whistle at any passing servant, but when you chose to flash your ankle right before my very eyes I reacted without thinking. It really is a most… what I saw was…my name is John.” Beth was amused to see that John had become very uncomfortable and was obviously trying to prevent himself from embarrassing himself further. She was gradually feeling much more relaxed, as John’s presence served to distract her from the anxieties of the day.
“My name is Beth. I am new to court, I only arrived last week.” As soon as the words had escaped her lips, she wished she had said something more interesting.
John smiled, “I assumed as much. I certainly would have noticed you if you had been here before! Oh, what is wrong with me, I am never normally such a flirt, I am so sorry…” He took a step backwards, and looked as if he was going to run away from Beth before she even had a chance to respond. Quickly, she came to his rescue by changing the subject.
“Did you manage to watch any of the dancing last night?” she asked him. “I thought the ladies’ gowns were magnificent, and the Queen looks so well, do you not think?”
“She looked lovely. I am glad to see some of her happiness return now that she is again with child. After last year she deserves happiness, I am sure you’d agree.” Both of them fell silent, in sad recollection of the tragic loss of the royal couple’s first child.
“Yes, and the King was in good spirits as well, it was the first time I had seen him you know!” Beth’s excitement at being at court, the center of the world as far as she could tell, was gradually returning after the fright of the news about Wolsey. Before John had a chance to answer however, Emma came hurrying around the corner looking flushed, and informed Beth that her absence had been noted in the kitchen. Jumping to her feet, and with a quick backward glance at John, Beth followed Emma back into the dark and sweltering kitchen.
Chapter 4
Mercifully, the afternoon had been extremely busy, so Beth had not had much time to dwell on the mystery of the summons from the Cardinal. Now she stood outside the large oak door, smoothed down her skirts, and licked her dry lips. She raised her hand to knock on the door, withdrew it, and then raised it again. She knew she was only delaying the inevitable, but she was a kitchen maid with no experience of court etiquette, and was terrified that she’d make a fool of herself. As she took a deep breath and prepared once more to knock on the door, Beth heard the swooshing of a cloak behind her and turned to be confronted with the grand and imposing figure of Thomas Wolsey.
“You came, Miss Scott” the Cardinal stated in his confident drawl, “Do come in.”
Beth followed Wolsey into the room, looking at her surroundings in interest in spite of her nerves. Beth knew that the Privy Chamber was not simply a collection of rooms in the palace, but a symbol of power. She had heard of how ambitious men fought for their place in the Privy Chamber in order to be close to the King. Whoever controlled the Privy Chamber controlled the King, and Wolsey certainly seemed at home here. He had removed his gloves and was pouring a translucent golden liquid into an ornate cup, which he then proceeded to drink without offering any to his guest. This did not surprise Beth, she was a mere kitchen maid after all, but she was getting inpatient to learn why she had been summoned. After what seemed like a very long time Wolsey began to speak, and his small beady eyes bore into Beth as he did so.
“Miss Scott. You are no doubt wondering why you have been summoned here but I shall get straight to the point in this delicate matter. As you will be aware having served at the feast yesterday, the Queen Catherine is with child. This is an exciting but also anxious time for the entire court, indeed the entire country. The sad loss of the King’s first child was a blow to us all, but no-one felt this loss more keenly than I myself did.” Beth felt herself redden in indignation, how could he possibly say such a thing when Queen Catherine herself had carried and delivered this child only to discover that her own flesh and blood was born without life? She couldn’t comprehend where Wolsey was going with this story, and was starting to feel an acute distaste for this self-important and calculating man.
Wolsey continued: “As I am sure you
will be aware, the Queen will soon begin her confinement in order to ensure the wellbeing of herself and the child. Of course, we all ardently hope that she is carrying the future heir to the throne, and therefore the utmost care must be taken. Once the heir has been delivered, God willing, all can return to normal at court, but for now we must take some steps to ensure that in the Queen’s absence no family is given the opportunity to gain undue favor.” Beth was completely lost by this point and could not understand what the Queen’s confinement had to do with Wolsey, and nor for that matter what this had to do with her. She wanted to ask, but the Cardinal’s intimidating presence made it hard for her to find the words.
He turned to pour himself another cup of wine, and pressed on: “I can see, Miss Scott, that you do not follow my line of reasoning. Perhaps I have not made myself clear. There are many families here at court that will do anything within their power to promote their own in order to gain influence with the King. I, as the King’s most trusted servant, cannot allow this to happen. I have many spies in many places, and I have heard talk of fathers who plan to push their daughters towards the King during this period of the Queen’s confinement. I cannot, and will not, stand by while ambitious men attempt to influence the King by offering him an attractive maiden on a platter. This, Elizabeth, is why I have summoned you here today. I have chosen you as my counter-attack to these endeavors.” With this pronouncement, Wolsey threw back his head and guzzled his drink in one go, and having done so cast his eyes over Beth. He took in her light hair, shimmering in the candlelight, her slightly pouted lips, large blue eyes, and finally the curve of her breasts above the line of her bodice. Beth felt herself squirm under his gaze, and her mind raced. She was struggling to take in everything that he had said, one moment she had thought he was going to demand that she act as a spy for him among the noble families, but then the conversation took a surprising turn. Was he suggesting that she, an inexperienced servant from the kitchens, should attempt to catch the eye of the King of England? As Beth struggled to put her thoughts in order, Wolsey abruptly turned and swept out of the room, leaving a bewildered Beth standing alone in the empty room. However, no sooner had he left than Beth heard a floorboard creak behind her from the direction of the King’s bedchamber. She slowly turned, palms becoming sweaty, and found herself face to face with Henry VIII, Tudor monarch, King of England.
Chapter 5
Beth looked up into the face of the most powerful man in England, and was struck at once by how handsome he was. With his striking height, strong arms and bright eyes, King Henry was even more impressive up close than he had seemed from a distance the previous evening. In turn, the King looked down at Beth and took in her shapely but slender body; her shining hair and her moistened and slightly parted lips. An electric current seemed to spark momentary between them, before Beth broke eye contact and took a nervous step backwards.
“Your Lord,” Beth began, “I am sorry to disturb you in your private rooms. I had an appointment with Cardinal Wolsey, but I was about to leave.”
The King’s voice was deep and assured when he replied, “Miss Scott, I am delighted to find you here, and you have no need whatsoever to apologize to me. I am only glad to finally have the chance to make your acquaintance. I noticed you last night as you served the food, and I must admit I was immediately entranced by you.” Beth swallowed in surprise. The King of England, entranced by her? Everything was happening so quickly, and she desperately wanted to return to her bedchamber and discuss the evening’s events with Emma. The idea that in a room full of beautiful and well-dressed ladies, the King had singled Beth out of the crowd was almost too much to take in.
The King took a step towards Beth, and she lowered her eyes, feeling unnerved by the intensity of his gaze. Very slowly he reached out his hand, and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Beth’s ear. His fingertips paused, for a moment, at Beth’s ear and she could feel the warmth permeating from his skin onto hers. Moving closer towards her, the King let his fingers move downward, lightly brushing Beth’s neck, and let his large hand come to rest firmly on her shoulder. The pad of his thumb began to move in circular motions, creeping inwards until his thumb was caressing the curve of her breast. Beth could feel her body responding, her cheeks warming and her breath beginning to quicken. She had only just met this man and she was already feeling a magnetic attraction to him. But reality suddenly burst in as she realized she was standing in the Privy Chamber, alone with the King of England.
“My Lord, it has been a pleasure to meet you and I do hope that the feast last night was everything you had hoped it would be. I think I had better return to my room now though, as the other servants will be wondering where I am.” With that, Beth drew further away, and brushed her now sweaty palms against the side of her skirts. The King’s eyes had not once strayed from her, and they now hovered on her right hand.
“Are you injured, Elizabeth?” The King asked, and took her hand in his, lightly touching the burn she had received earlier that day. Before she had a chance to answer, he suddenly lowered his head and ever so gently pressed his lips against the reddened skin. The kiss seemed to last forever, and Beth felt as if she were holding her breath. She recognized that what she was feeling for the King was pure desire, and took a step closer to him. The King lifted his head to look at her once more, their faces now inches away from each other. Beth could feel his warm breath stirring her hair, and she longed to press her lips against his and explore his mouth with her tongue. A sound outside in the corridor startled them both; they had been so transfixed by each other that they had momentarily forgotten their surroundings.
“Please visit me here tomorrow after dark,” the King murmured and with that he left her standing there, her heart racing and cheeks flushed.
Chapter 6
The next morning Beth awoke feeling unrested and groggy. It had been a sleepless night as she had turned the events of the last few days over and over again in her mind. She felt as if she had stumbled into another person’s life. One minute she had been a simple girl working in the orphanage with nothing greater to worry about than what to cook the children for supper that evening; now she had experienced what could only be described as a sexual awakening, thanks to Emma. She had met John for whom she felt a stirring in her heart, and she also had Wolsey and the King’s proposition to contend with. She wanted to discuss these anxieties with Emma as they dressed, but somehow she couldn’t find the words. Beth was painfully aware of the implications of the decision she was now faced with: she would be engaging in an adulterous relationship with the ruler of England while the Queen lay in her confinement awaiting the birth of what everybody hoped would be the heir to the throne. The enormity of the situation lay heavy on her heart; could she risk her immortal soul simply for the sake of her and the King’s lust? Not only that, but did she really want to become a pawn in the political games of Thomas Wolsey?
These thoughts continued to race round and round in Beth’s head throughout the course of the morning. Again she was struggling to focus on her work, and she was sure that her superiors would begin to question why she had been employed at court at all. Emma kept shooting her concerned looks, but Beth did not feel she could confide in her friend. She could envisage the shock on Emma’s face were she to explain why Wolsey had summoned her, so she had been avoiding her friend’s questions about it all morning.
The weather was unusually warm today, so Emma and Beth took their bread and cheese outside to eat it sitting on the grass outside. No sooner had they started to eat than John appeared beside them.
“Good day,” he began, “It is a beautiful spot for a picnic. Do you mind if I join you?” Without waiting for the girls to reply, he laid his cloak out on the grass and sat down beside them.
Beth was once again struck by John’s youthful good looks. For a moment she considered the strangeness of being attracted by two completely different men: the King with his muscular and imposing presence and John with his lithe body
and dark hair. Not to mention the fact that these two men had drastically different social ranks. As soon as this thought had popped into her head, Beth dismissed it, telling herself that she was being ridiculous to even entertain the notion of anything happening between her and the King. He was a married man and not only that but the King of England. Could she even consider becoming his mistress?
John broke the companionable silence that had settled on the group: “There is a dance tomorrow evening at a local inn, and I was wondering whether you both would care to accompany me?”
“Oh yes,” Emma immediately replied, “I think we could all do with a little fun and Beth hasn’t had the chance to meet all of the other court servants yet!” Beth smiled her consent too, feeling glad that the dance was the following day rather than that night, since she still had not made up her mind about the King.
“Wonderful, I shall meet you outside your bedchamber at nightfall tomorrow,” John said. They finished their food, happily gossiping about previous dances, and John and Emma explained to Beth the various romances occurring between the servants. Once their meal was finished, John rushed off to continue his work and the girls returned to the kitchen. Beth’s mood was much improved by her excitement about the dance the following day, and she passed the rest of the day in much better spirits. The only thing that occasionally marred Beth’s mood was when the kitchen servants discussed the Queen’s condition, at which point Beth invariably felt a pang of guilt.
